Good Granola/Granola substitute?

Bacchants
Bacchants Posts: 92 Member
edited November 20 in Food and Nutrition
For my breakfast I have regular Greek Yoghurt with some 4 seed mix (Pumpkin, sesame, golden linseed and sunflower), and some high protein granola.

Now I bought the high protein granola when I was pretty hungover and didn't properly check the label. I was all 'yeah extra protein!' and now I'm all 'Gosh that is a lot of sugar'.

So I've been eating it (didn't want to waste it and I try to be mindful the rest of the day of my sugar), but I want to find a better alternative for when this bag runs out. Or something I can use instead. Although I do like how this gives a boost to my protein...

I am looking for something with a nice crunch, fairly low in sugar, if it comes with extra protein great, or suggestions on how to bump the protein without the granola would be good.

I'm in the UK so UK brands would be easier for me to get!
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Replies

  • PneumaVision
    PneumaVision Posts: 44 Member
    Homemade muesli. Here is my recipe: 925g rolled oats, 425g golden raisins, 225g dates, 250g sliced almonds, 100g sunflower seeds, 300g wheat germ, 100g oat bran, 50g flax seed, 200g red raisins, 200g flaked coconut, 100g pecan pieces. This is not a low-calorie food. I call this version "Muesli My Darling" and if I leave out the coconut and pecans I call it "Mrs Muesli". I mix this with yogurt and grated apple and set it in the fridge overnight before eating, a la Suisse.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    To be fair, even the 'protein' granola has a really sad amount of protein, so if you're eating it for the protein boost, well, just have 30 more grams of yogurt or something.

    Another option would be low sugar cereal, if you want that crunch, maybe special K protein or something?
  • mistikal13
    mistikal13 Posts: 1,457 Member
    I make my own granola so I can control the types of dried fruit, nuts, amount of sugar, etc that go into it.
  • ekballard
    ekballard Posts: 1 Member
    How do you make your own granola mistikal13? I love Quaker's Oat Granola but it is so expensive!
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    edited July 2015
    I make this recipe a lot. http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/super-low-fat-granola-cereal Don't cook it with any fruit or nuts in it because they burn, just add them after the oats come out of the oven.

    Ok, I just edited this because I see it is still pretty sugary....but that is what I use. lol Guess I wasn't much help.
  • Hjones2889
    Hjones2889 Posts: 94 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.

    Why shouldn't she be concerned with sugar intake?
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.

    Why shouldn't she be concerned with sugar intake?

    because unless you have a medical condition, it isn't going to kill you.

  • Hjones2889
    Hjones2889 Posts: 94 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.

    Why shouldn't she be concerned with sugar intake?

    because unless you have a medical condition, it isn't going to kill you.

    no but it does turn into fat if not burned off promptly.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.

    Why shouldn't she be concerned with sugar intake?

    because unless you have a medical condition, it isn't going to kill you.

    no but it does turn into fat if not burned off promptly.

    lol
    no

    excess calories cause fat gain
  • Hjones2889
    Hjones2889 Posts: 94 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.

    Why shouldn't she be concerned with sugar intake?

    because unless you have a medical condition, it isn't going to kill you.

    no but it does turn into fat if not burned off promptly.

    lol
    no

    excess calories cause fat gain

    ur right! and so does sugar!
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    edited July 2015
    Hjones2889 wrote: »

    you're quoting livestrong.
    it's not a good source of information.
    please come back when you have a peer reviewed study stating that sugar, and not excess calories comprised of any combination of the 3 macros (plus alcohol being the 4th forgotten macro), is the only thing that causes you to gain fat.

    ETA: Also, it's "here", not "hear"
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    Hjones2889 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I eat protein granola myself (Nature Valley) and don't worry about sugar.

    Why shouldn't she be concerned with sugar intake?

    because unless you have a medical condition, it isn't going to kill you.

    no but it does turn into fat if not burned off promptly.

    lol
    no

    excess calories cause fat gain

    ur right! and so does sugar!

    Once again, only if you're in a calorie surplus.
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    edited July 2015
    OMG - a Livestrong blog article (strike 1) that cites a study by Lustig (strike 2)...

    All we need now is for it to be featured on "Dr." Oz and we've got a turkey of misinformation and ignorance.
  • tephanies1234
    tephanies1234 Posts: 299 Member
  • Hjones2889
    Hjones2889 Posts: 94 Member

    for real.. look at me trying to be smart and have a typo. smh
  • Hjones2889
    Hjones2889 Posts: 94 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »

    you're quoting livestrong.
    it's not a good source of information.
    please come back when you have a peer reviewed study stating that sugar, and not excess calories comprised of any combination of the 3 macros (plus alcohol being the 4th forgotten macro), is the only thing that causes you to gain fat.

    ETA: Also, it's "here", not "hear"

    lol ok buddy relax.. have a good one
  • tephanies1234
    tephanies1234 Posts: 299 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »

    for real.. look at me trying to be smart and have a typo. smh

    huh?
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Hjones2889 wrote: »

    for real.. look at me trying to be smart and have a typo. smh

    Her facepalm was due the source you provided as "proof" to your argument.
    Livestrong isn't a respectable source. It's full of woo and misinformation.
  • Hjones2889
    Hjones2889 Posts: 94 Member
    edited July 2015
    Hjones2889 wrote: »

    for real.. look at me trying to be smart and have a typo. smh

    Her facepalm was due the source you provided as "proof" to your argument.
    Livestrong isn't a respectable source. It's full of woo and misinformation.

    ok u win.. calm down and go eat sugar sweetheart
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  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
    edited July 2015
    I like a little crunch on my yogurt too and use fiber one cereal...
    http://www.fiberone.com/products/cereal/original
    (link to nutrition information so that you can make an assessment if it meets your nutritional criteria)

    Also some of the Kashi cereals also have a granola type texture to them:
    https://www.kashi.com/our-foods/cold-cereal/kashi-golean-original-cereal
  • This content has been removed.
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
    If you have a medical reason, there can be cause to watch your sugar intake. I've yet to find a granola low enough in sugar for me, but I also shy away from oats these days. If you're looking to add protein to your breakfast, I'm not sure that granola is the way. You already have the yogurt and the seed mix to help you. If you need additional protein, you may consider an egg or nuts?
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    As many other stated have you tried making your own? Dry out some oats and various seeds to suit your taste - add a spray starch for crunch if needed. Easily done with a few baking sheets in a couple minutes.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited July 2015
    I bake some oats on low for ten or fifteen minutes. Then I mix them with chopped peanuts, wheat germ, oat bran, assorted dried fruits and/or raisins and whatever spice I might like to add (some people like cinnamon but not me). Then I add some vanilla to warmed honey, mix up the whole mess and bake it again for maybe ten or fifteen minutes.

    If I have seeds I like, I add them. I don't uses sesame seeds, though. They're my favorite seed, but they kind of throw it off.

    I don't actually measure any of it, but that's what I use. Molasses is more popular, I think, but I don't care for it, so I use honey. If you don't want to use sugar, maybe a pasteurized egg would hold it together? I eat it fast enough that the wheat germ doesn't do me any harm, but I don't know about eggs and always use pasteurized if the thing is going to sit out. Better safe than sorry, :)

    The beauty of granola is that you can just mix up whatever stuff you like and call it "granola." :)
  • Bacchants
    Bacchants Posts: 92 Member
    Haha I made this thread then forgot to check back till now!

    First for the sugar thing, I've been told by my dentist to reduce the amount of sugar I eat as it's affecting my teeth (also to avoid stuff with high acid). I'm not militant about it, but the less processed/added sugar I have the more fruit/milk/etc I can have.

    It sounds really dense but I'd not even thought about making my own! I guess that way I can control what goes in better. I like the idea of adding flax seeds for some more fibre, also adding some vanilla essense, sounds yummy :)

    What does wheat germ taste like? As I just googled it and it looks a bit grim looking.

  • allbarrett
    allbarrett Posts: 159 Member
    I make this one:

    http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/dried-cherry-coconut-granola.aspx

    and skip the added brown sugar (it doesn't need it) and I usually used 2-3 times as much cardamom. You can change up the fruit (pretty much any dried unsweetened fruit works, from what I've tried). This does not have a significant amount of protein for the calories, however, it is tasty and works with yogurt or oatmeal to make them more interesting.
This discussion has been closed.